


The Island

by Nellie2018



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Case Fic, Gen, Sam Winchester Whump
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-28
Updated: 2019-06-28
Packaged: 2020-05-28 11:17:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,293
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19393021
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nellie2018/pseuds/Nellie2018
Summary: A dead body found at the edge of a lake leads the Winchester brothers on a hunt for an ancient nature-god.





	The Island

Sam Winchester was sat in the kitchen of the bunker, enjoying a plate of breakfast pancakes and scrolling down the screen on his laptop. The dark good looking 29 year old looked up as his brother slipped into the seat before him.  
“Feel better now Dean?” he asked, pushing a cooling black coffee towards him.  
The pale older hunter nodded and took a sip of the strong black liquid.  
“Man, I was desperate. Must have been that burrito I had last night”.  
“Or the lashings of chillies, hot sauce and onions, not to mention a bucket load of beer” commented Sam.  
Dean rubbed his belly protectively. “I don’t think I’ve got anything left in here. I feel like I’ve pooped my insides out” he commented.  
“Too much information” groaned Sam. “Best not eat anything for a while to make certain, we’ve got a long trip ahead of us.”  
Dean’s interest perked up. “You’ve found us a case?”  
Sam nodded. “Small lakeside town in the wilds of the Nebraska and South Dakota border. There’s reports of an animal attack near the lake.”  
Dean shrugged. “That’s not too strange in the wilderness”.  
“The victim was ripped to pieces, not your normal level of violence and the heart was missing.” answered the younger hunter  
“Werewolf then, or Wendigo.” said Dean nodding.  
“Or Chupacabra” agreed Sam. Both hunters had an extensive knowledge of supernatural creatures and their capabilities.  
Dean watched as Sam finished his pancakes, watching hungrily as the tall dark hunter didn’t leave a crumb. His tummy rumbled but having spent the last 20 minutes on the toilet, he knew that it wasn’t a good idea for him to eat anything for a while.  
It had been a quiet couple of weeks and both brothers were starting to get on each others nerves going a bit stir crazy. Dean had gone a little overboard last night and drunk too much and he was paying the price this morning. They needed a challenge and it sounded like his brother had found them one. He leaned over and took another sip of his drink.  
“So where are we taking a trip to?” he asked, grimacing as the coffee was tepid  
Sam turned the laptop around for him to see.  
“Springfield on the shore of Lewis & Clark Lake. Not a big place, more a village.”  
Dean nodded. “Seems logical for something creepy not to go for an overpopulated area. Just a steady supply of fresh meat but plenty of open space to disappear into.”  
Sam finished and stood up, closing the laptop with a snap.  
“It’s about 300 miles so we’d best get on the open road soon.”  
Dean nodded and shifted his chair back to go and pack his kit. “See you in the garage in 10 minutes” he called as he walked back to his room. His stomach gurgled. “Make that 20 minutes” he added, hastening to the bathroom.

The drive was long and tedious, the flat plains of the American Midwest not stimulating the imagination. Dean sang along to his favourite rock music as Sam trawled through the local websites, trying to garner more information. The grizzled hunter glanced over as Sam finally closed the laptop.  
“What did you find out?” he asked, turning the music down a little.  
“Not much. It appears that the victim was a visitor from out of town. The area is popular with campers who love messing about on the lake. This was a 22 year old guy. From the file photo he looked pretty fit.”  
“That’s a bit strange, they usually go for the weaker ones. Where did they find him?”  
“On the shore of the lake. I’ve looked at the crime scene photo and it’s not pretty. Whatever attacked him ripped his throat out and ripped his chest open. His heart was missing and most of his internal organs mashed up.”  
“Eugh” commented the older hunter, his stomach still slightly queasy. He looked over at his brother again and saw that Sam was in deep thought.  
“What are you thinking Sammy?”  
The dark haired hunter shook his head.  
“I don’t know. Looking at the pictures, it doesn’t seem like the kind of terrain that a Wendigo or Chupacabra would thrive in. It’s too open. They usually like the cover of trees.”  
Dean sighed. “You know this job is never simple. We’ll do a bit of scouting round once we’ve had a chance to speak to the local sheriff. In the meantime …” he leaned over and turned up the volume. Sam relaxed and closed his eyes, letting the music wash over him as he was left to his thoughts. Something was niggling him about the hearts going missing but he couldn’t quite put his finger on it.

They arrived in Springfield just after 5 o’clock and checked into a small motel. It was a quiet backwater town, barely more than a village, situated on the shores of Lewis and Clarke Lake. The lake had been created from the Michigan River when a dam had been built in the late 1950s. The valley had previously been verdant with groves of trees verging the riverbanks but all that remained now were a few islands surrounded by the deep cold waters. It was a vacation destination for tourists who sailed on the calm waters and there were several trailer parks and campgrounds dotted around the area. To the south lay Yankton, a small city but there were several small developments that fringed the body of water. Deciding that it was probably too late to visit the Sheriffs department that day, they ate at a well worn diner, Dean keeping the spicy food to a minimum to protect his still delicate stomach.  
Sam had picked up a leaflet on their way in and he showed it to his brother.  
“There’s a Indian history museum not far away. I guess it won’t do any harm to visit and get a low-down on local lore.”  
Dean nodded. “Right down your alley geek boy” knowing that Sam was deeply interested in the historical lore. Dean was more of an action man than a scholar and he kindly deferred to his younger brother. “You go the museum tomorrow and I’ll visit the Sheriff to see what he’s got to say.”  
Sam agreed and they continued their meal over a light conversation. After finishing their meal, they visited a local bar for a couple of beers. Dean tempted a couple of out of towners into a game of pool and came back with a pocket full of money and a wide grin. Sam, who had been talking to the bartender shook his head good naturedly as Dean polished off his beer.  
“Another?” Sam asked and was surprised to see Dean shake his head.  
“Better not, I don’t want to end up like this morning.”  
Sam snorted in disbelief. “When did you worry about your health?”  
Dean smiled. “Since I’ve got the phone number of the very hot waitress who is off work tomorrow night.”  
“We’ve got work to do tomorrow Dean” sighed Sam.  
Dean waved the number around. “She’ll still be around when we get back” he said smugly “and if we’re late, I’m sure she’ll understand. She seemed to be very impressed with the size of my ..”  
“Head” answered Sam sighing.  
“No, my impressive….”  
“Enough” cried Sam. “If you don’t want another drink I guess we should get back to the motel. Wouldn’t want to risk your health would we.”  
Both brothers returned to the small motel and settled in for the night.

The next day they separated, Sam heading off to Yankton for the Ponca Indian Museum and Dean headed for the local Police HQ. 

Dean entered the small building and walked up to the main desk. He was dressed in his smart suit and he flashed his fake FBI badge at the young officer who greeted him. “Agent Dawson. I’ve come to see the Sheriff regarding the recent killing.” The young officer looked suitably impressed and walked into the back and soon a tall dark haired older man followed him out of the office. After glancing at the FBI ID he held out his hand in greeting and Dean shook it.  
“Not often we see the FBI out in the sticks” he said pleasantly.  
Dean nodded. “I got a report from the area office about a visitor who was found dead. Seems like he was the son of someone with a bit of clout.”  
“I guess you’re talking about Todd Rainer.” he shuddered. “That was a messy business. Looks like it was an animal attack, pretty savage.”  
“Do you know what did it?”  
The Sheriff shook his head.  
“No, I guess it looks like a bear or something similar, the way his chest was mashed up but there’s been no sightings or anything.”  
Dean nodded. “Were there any tracks?”  
“That’s where it gets complicated. He wasn’t killed where his body was found.”  
Dean raised his eyebrows. “So the body was moved?”  
“Yeah.” The sheriff walked to a filing cabinet and retrieved a file. Opening it he pulled out a crime scene photo. Dean swallowed as he took in the sight of Todd, chest ripped open, visage frozen in terror.  
“No blood on the ground” he commented.  
The sheriff nodded again. “He was dead long before he was dumped on the beach.”  
Dean looked at the photo closely. Todd had been found on the shores of the lake, a couple of feet from the waters edge. It didn’t appear as if he had been in the water.  
“Can you show me on the map where he was found” he asked and the Sheriff moved over to the large map on the wall. He indicated a spot and Dean scanned the map.  
“What’s this?” he asked, pointing to a small island.  
“That island has been uninhabited since the valley was flooded in the 1950s’. Occasionally visitors row out there but it’s too far to swim.  
Dean studied the map and an idea started to form in his head. He handed the photo back to the Sheriff.  
“Have you had any other incidents like this?”  
The sheriff nodded. “Couple of hikers went missing about 6 months ago and we lost a swimmer to the lake last year. Never found their bodies.”  
“That’s bad for the tourist business” commented Dean.  
“A lot of people visit the area for outdoor pursuits. It’s not surprising that some have accidents.  
“How old were the missing people?”  
“All men in their early 20’s. They were just put down as adrenaline junkies who just pushed their luck too far. There’s a lot of nooks and crannies for bodies to disappear in these parts and the lake is over 1000 feet deep.”  
Dean realised that the Sheriff wasn’t particularly bothered about investigating the missing persons and assumed that he was being protective of the tourist industry in the local area. He thanked the sheriff for the information and told him he would send a report back to head office that it looked like Todd had been killed by a grizzly bear.  
He left the police station and walked back to the pavement. Bringing out his phone he dialled Sam.

Sam was having a very informative conversation with the curator of the indian museum, Jennifer Brokenjaw. He enjoyed the talk and saw that she appreciated his enthusiasm. His phone rang and he apologised to her and she gave him some space.  
“How did you get on?” asked Dean.  
Sam smiled over at Jennifer. “Nearly finished. I’ll meet you back at the diner in about an hour if that’s ok?”  
“Sure. See you later. Sam, see if you can get any information on a small island about 6 miles off shore at the north end of the lake”.  
“Ok. See you later.” answered Sam and turned back to his pretty host.  
“Sorry, that was my brother. Strange request but he asked about a small island at the north end of the lake.”  
Jennifer nodded. “That’s not more than an outcrop really. It was a small hill that was too high to be drowned when the lake was dammed. There’s nothing there except a few trees.” Sam noticed that she seemed a little hesitant about talking about the island, looking away from him.  
A thought occurred to him.  
“I guess the valley was full of trees before the dam came.”  
Jennifer nodded. “Oh yes, there were pine trees all along the river basin. Our ancestors lived on the verdant lands for many generations before the developers took everything away”.  
Sam nodded. “There were a lot of wrongs done to the tribes in the past”.  
“That’s why we have places like this to try and continue our traditions and teach the new generations of our history”.  
“I’ve heard that there were Spirits of Nature who protected the tribes.”  
Jennifer nodded. “We believe there are spirits of the earth, water and wind. They are treated as fairy stories nowadays but some of us believe there is an element of truth in the old lore”.  
“I agreed completely.” said Sam. “That is why I am so interested in this sort of stuff. My brother calls me a nerd.”  
Jennifer laughed and Sam warmed to her.  
“You are a very welcome visitor Sam. An open mind and strong heart feeds the souls of the gods.”  
That phrase filled in a blank for the young hunter and he looked at his watch.  
“I said I’d meet my brother in Springfield in an hour so I’m going to have to get going. I hope to catch up with you again before we leave.”  
Jennifer held out her hand “Give me your phone” she said. Sam handed it over and she entered her phone number into it. “Give me a call and we can continue our discussion somewhere more comfortable” she said with a smile.  
Sam warmly bid her goodbye and walked back to the car.

Dean was talking to a waitress when Sam arrived. He looked up as Sam slid into the seat in front of him. Asking for a coffee he watched as the waitress walked away, giving his brother a smile.  
“Working your magic again?” he asked, nodding at her receding rear.  
“Got to keep up the practice Sammy” said Dean, taking a drink from his coffee.  
“Why did you ask about an island?” asked Sam. Dean filled him in on his visit to the Sheriff.  
Sam shrugged. “Seems like the guy doesn’t really care.”  
“He wants to keep things quiet. He’s under pressure from the local businesses. They don’t want to scare away the tourist trade. It’s a big part of the income round here.”  
“Are you thinking what I’m thinking?” asked Sam  
“Something is linked to that island I’m sure of it.”  
Sam nodded. “Indian lore is full of nature spirits. I‘ve an idea of what we’re dealing with.”  
“Go on” said Dean, interested to hear what his brother had to say.  
“I think it’s a Nymph. It’s a nature spirit, a minor female deity typically associated with a particular location or landform. It could be a single tree.”  
“And you think that her tree is on that island?”  
“Jennifer seemed to get a little uncomfortable when I asked about the Island. It could be that the local tribe have been worshipping the Nymph for generations. Something she said rang a bell. An open mind and strong heart feeds the souls of the gods.”  
Dean leaned back. “Are you thinking human sacrifices?”  
Sam shrugged. “Could be. The guy could have been killed on the island and his heart taken as a token for a god. They wouldn’t have needed the rest of the body so they mashed him up to look like a bear attack.”  
“We’re making a lot of assumptions here Sammy” warned Dean.  
Sam nodded. “You know the only way we’ll find out”.  
“We need to find a boat hire shop”.  
Sam looked up as the waitress returned with a coffee and overheard Deans last comment.  
“If you need a boat hire, call down at Gordons Tackle. He’s pretty reasonable and charges by the half day. He can also hire you some fishing gear if you need to.”  
Dean smiled. “Thanks, we’re looking forward to an afternoon on the lake. Fishing sounds good doesn’t it Sammy”.  
Sam nodded. ‘Except we’re fishing for more than trout’ he thought silently.

They returned to the motel and got changed into their casual gear. They put on warm jackets and boots, anticipating that they may need to stay until past dark. Packing a few provisions in their backpacks Sam researched on how to kill a Nymph.  
“Seems pretty straightforward. Destroy the tree that she is linked to and that will destroy her.”  
Dean stopped what he was doing as a thought occurred to him.. “Why have the killings only started in the last year or so?” he wondered.  
Sam shrugged. “Maybe she was only discovered again recently. Nymphs are beautiful and can bend a mans will easily. Maybe someone landed and got entranced by her spell.”  
“Entranced enough to become her personal killer?”  
“Maybe. We’ll find out later. We’d better watch out that we don’t get sucked in.”  
Dean smiled and patted his warding tattoo. “Hopefully this will be sufficient. Maybe she should be more worried about resisting my charm.”  
Sam just rolled his eyes and threw his bag over his shoulder.  
“Come on. The days wasting away.”  
They hired a small boat from Gordons Tackle, hiring two fishing rods and assorted paraphanalia to establish their cover story. Dean took charge of the motor and they were soon powering towards the small island. The water was a little choppy and the breeze had picked up over the course of the afternoon. Dean steered the boat around the back of the island, shielding it from the main shore and pulled into a small rocky cove. It really wasn’t a large island, probably only about 1 mile square but it was covered by ancient trees, growing wild without human interaction.  
Small insects and colourful birds swept between the thick branches. Sam looked up and appreciated the beauty of the unspoilt landscape. He helped Dean pull the boat up onto the rock strewn shore and received the bags thrown at him.  
“Let’s have a look around” said Dean, throwing the backpack around this shoulders and leading the way. A couple of small paths led into the forested interior. They walked forward carefully, hyper aware for any supernatural creatures. After a while they reached an incline and began to climb. At the top of the slope was a large pine tree, obviously very old, its branches covered in dark green needles. Dean, slightly breathless from the climb pointed at it and Sam nodded. It seemed to be the oldest tree on the island and if Sams theory was correct then it was likely to be the Nymphs lair. As they neared the tree, their hunter senses were sharpened, anticipating an attack but all was quiet.  
They reached the bottom of the tree. Sam was puzzled. He had convinced himself that they were dealing with a Nymph. He reached out and touched the wood. A shiver of a breeze flew through the branches but nothing else happened. He turned to his brother and shrugged.  
“I guess I was wrong” he admitted. Dean was about to answer when there was a cracking sound and the tree trunk appeared to split apart. As the brothers both watched fascinated, a large figure came charging out of the tree and pounced on Dean, pushing him back. Dean recovered himself quickly and a vicious struggle ensued, both trying to subdue each other.  
“Get in and finish this Sam” he cried.  
Sam, confident that his brother would subdue the attacker, turned and ran into the tree. He was surprised to see a flight of earthen stairs leading to a chamber underground. He descended, wary of what was waiting for him. As he neared the bottom, a soft light began to glow and he found himself transfixed by a beautiful maiden. Her long golden hair flowed to her trim waist and her tight dress skimmed her hourglass figure. Sam felt his eyes drawn to her.  
“Welcome” she purred, walking towards him. “What is your name?”  
Sam was entranced by her beauty. “Sam” he whispered.  
“Welcome Sam. My name is Doryse.”  
“Do you live here?” he asked.  
“Yes, my spirit has lived here for many generations.”  
She looked at him curiously, and Sam felt that she was reading his mind. He tried to stay as blank as possible and she frowned.  
“Why are you here?” she asked.  
“I believe that you have been hurting people. I’ve come to stop you.” he said honestly.  
She smiled slowly. “I am a god. I thrive on human souls and their adoration.”  
“So you’re admitting that you’ve killed the missing people”.  
She shook her head. “I haven’t killed anyone. However, every once in a while one of my devotees may bring me an offering.”  
Sam pointed upstairs. “You mean that smuck who’s fighting my brother.”  
Doryse nodded. “It is hard being a god in the modern world. For thousands of years, this valley was green, the land and nature in harmony. I was adored by the local natives and only required the minimum of offerings. It all changed when they chose to build the dam and drown my land. I get so few visitors now.”  
Sam nodded. “I’m truly sorry for that. Unfortunately you can’t stop progress. The water supplies a great many people and sustains the farms downstream.”  
Doryse stepped forward and Sam felt her place her hand on his chest.  
“You have a good heart Sam, you are a strong proud … “ she widened her eyes “hunter” she gasped.  
She drew her hand back as if it had been burnt.  
“I’m sorry but I can’t let the killing carry on.”  
Doryse stepped back and looked into his eyes with a sad smile.  
“You can help me Sam. With a heart as strong as yours, I will be satisfied for many years. Give me your heart and I will sleep for a century.”  
Sams eyes widened.  
“Sammy?” he heard Dean calling as he came down the steps. He stepped into the chamber and stopped at the sight before him.  
Doryse looked over at Dean. “What will it be Sam? If you sacrifice yourself, I will leave your brother and all the other humans in this valley unhurt.”  
“Sam” warned Dean, panicking as he saw his brother considering the offer.  
Sam turned his head and looked at Dean who was battered and bruised from his fight.  
“It’s a good offer Dean. One life for a century of peace.”  
“Don’t you dare consider it Sammy” cursed Dean stepping forward.  
Doryse waved her hand and he found his feet frozen to the floor.  
Sam moved his hand to his pocket as he turned back to the Nymph. She smiled slowly as she saw acceptance in his visage. “The pain will only last a few seconds” she said, raising her hand and placing it over his heart.  
“No” shouted Dean struggling to free himself.  
Sam brought his hand around from his back and pulled her in for a hug. He felt a flash of pain as she began to dig into his chest.  
“Fight Sammy” called Dean desperately and watched as his brother turned his head and winked. Sam flicked the lighter in his hand and kindled the hair of Doryse. She pulled back and screamed as the flames took immediate hold and in anger she pushed with her power and Sam flew back, connecting harshly with the back wall. Dean found himself released and he pulled a bottle of accelerant from his bag and threw it onto the burning hair. The flames flashed high and the Nymph found herself being consumed. In her agony she thrashed around until at last she fell to the floor and was still. Flames began catching on the wood and Dean saw that their escape route would soon be cut off so running to his brothers prone body he pulled him up hastily. Sam was dazed, his head having made connection with the wooden wall solidly. Scooping him up, they made their way up towards the daylight, the smoke making their eyes smart and their lungs spasm. Bursting into the fresh air, they stumbled and fell down the slope towards the shore. When he felt that they were far enough away Dean lowered his groggy brother to the ground.  
“How are you doing Sammy” he asked urgently, checking the dark haired hunter.  
Sam coughed and looked up at the concerned green eyes.  
“I’m ok” he breathed. “Just another thump on the head”.  
Dean sighed in relief. “You had me worried there. I thought you were going to say yes”.  
“Never. I just needed to make her believe I was going to so I could get close.”  
He sat up and looked around  
“Where’s your friend?”  
“He took a bit of getting down. I knocked him out and left him up there.”  
They looked up and saw that the tree was blazing now.  
“If he’s up there then we need to get him. We can’t leave him to die Dean.”  
Dean nodded and stood up. “I’ll get him. You stay here.”  
“Be careful” warned Sam  
“Always am” smiled Dean

Dean climbed the small hill, the heat of the burning tree searing his face. He ran to the spot where he had left his attacker but it was empty. He jumped at a scream behind him and he turned to see Sam battling with the heavy man.  
“Shit.” he cursed and ran back down the slope. He saw Sam fight back and the man began to falter. As Dean reached him, Sam kicked his assailant and Dean swiftly chopped his neck, stunning him. “You ok Sammy?” he asked, quickly tying up the dark man.  
“He got the jump on me with a knife” groaned Sam and Dean saw that Sam had been stabbed in the forearm. It was a classic defence wound.”  
Finishing off the knot he moved towards his brother.  
“How bad?” he asked in concern.  
“Don’t worry, nothing vital has been hit. Doesn’t feel too deep.”  
Dean checked the wound and pulled the medical kit from Sams backpack. It was a nasty slash which was bleeding messily but wasn’t life threatening.  
“Gonna need stitches in that Sammy”.  
Sam sighed. “Never a pleasant experience”.  
“Don’t worry, I’ll be gentle” assured Dean patting his brother fraternally, wrapping a bandage around the cut.. “Let’s get back to civilisation and sort you out”.  
Sam pointed at their captive. “Who do you reckon that is?”  
“Some poor guy that got entranced by the Nymph. The cops should be able to identify him. Hopefully now she’s dead the spell she had over him will fade.”  
“And if it doesn’t?” murmured Sam.  
Dean shrugged. “He’ll probably get locked up in a mental institution for the rest of his days.”  
“Poor guy.”  
“Not our problem Sam.”  
“I know he killed people but he is just as much a victim.”  
“Yeah” nodded Dean. He looked up and saw that the fire was spreading. “We need to get out of here. Can you stand?”  
Sam pushed himself up to prove that he could and he stumbled towards the boat, still slightly dizzy from the blow to the head. Dean lifted up their assailant and soon they were safely stowed in the boat.  
The water was increasing choppy and the overloaded boat lay low in the water. Dean grimly guided the motor and they made their way slowly over the water. It was about 6 miles and it took a long time and by the time they landed on the shore, it was pitch black. Dean was thankful of the cover of darkness as they unloaded their guest. The dark man had come round and was balefully watching them as Dean helped his brother disembark.  
“I need to get this guy to the hospital. Will you be ok for a while if I leave you at the motel?”  
Sam nodded. “No problem.”  
Dean looked at him in concern. “Just rest up till I get back. I need to put some stitches in your arm.”  
“I’m ok Dean” murmured Sam patting his over-protective brother on the arm.  
He pointed at the man.  
“He needs help. I can wait.”  
Dean nodded. “Ok. I’ll drop you off at the motel and dump him at the local clinic. He’ll get looked after.”  
“You’d better warn them that he’s not in the right mind”.  
“I will. I’ll tip off the sheriff as well.”  
He looked back over the water and gazed back at the island. It was ablaze now, the trees burning fiercely, a beacon of light in the midst of the dark lake.  
“I feel sorry for her. She just needed to be loved” sighed Sam, joining him on the shore.  
Dean didn’t say anything before turning and lifting the man bodily to his feet.  
“Come on buddy, time for you to get some help.”  
They walked back to the motel and after leaving Sam, Dean took a trip to the hospital.

As he got out of the Impala a figure appeared in front of him. It was a tall Indian man and a younger indian woman.  
“We will take him.” said the woman kindly.  
Dean eyed them suspiciously.  
“We can help break the spell of Doryse.” she added.  
Dean took a guess “Jennifer from the museum?”  
She smiled. “Jennifer Brokenclaw and this is my father George Brokenclaw. We were afraid of the spirit but now that she is dead, we will try to repair the damage caused to this man.”  
“Do you know who he is?” asked Dean  
She shook her head. “One of the missing people. We will find out and get him back to his family.”  
“He’s enchanted. Be careful as he has been violent.”  
George moved forward and took hold of the man. “There is a spell that can break the curse. It will be long but he will recover in time.”  
Jennifer urged “It’s a better option for him. If you take him in there they will just lock him up in a mental ward.”  
Dean nodded “I agree. I must get back to my brother. He was hurt.”  
Jennifers eyes widened. “Why have you not brought him here?” she demanded.  
Dean looked at her calmly. “It’s only a few stitches in his arm. I’m capable of doing that.”  
Jennifer apologised. “I’m sorry. I assume you are hunters so you will have many skills.”  
Dean nodded and handed the man over. “Help him. He’s a victim as well.”  
George nodded silently and then Dean turned and got back into the Impala. He watched as the two indians gently helped the compliant man into a pickup truck and drove off towards the reservation.

Sam peeled his eyes open and blinked at the bright sunlight pouring into the room from the open door. Dean walked in laden with coffee and muffins.  
“How you doing Sammy?” he called, seeing his younger brother groggily waking up. Putting the breakfast on the small table he moved over to the bed.  
“Hey” he said gently. “Don’t try to move too quickly.”  
Sam groaned as he moved his arm and felt the stitches tighten, quickly deciding that wasn’t a good idea. He felt the close attention of his overprotective brother and knew he was assessing his condition. He took a few seconds and did his own personal assessment.  
“I’m a little sore and my head is thumping but I think I’ll live.”  
Dean nodded and moved away and soon a painkiller and a glass of water was presented to him.  
Sitting up Sam chugged back the pill and was pleased to see Dean bring over a blueberry muffin and a coffee. Blueberry muffins were his favourite and seemed to be Deans choice of food when Sam needed a treat.  
Dean had returned to the motel the previous night and found Sam showered and waiting for him. He had closed Sams wound with six stitches and then urged him to sleep it off. He had told him about the Indians and their offer to help the man break the curse and get him back to his family.  
Sam had slept for several hours, the blood loss tiring him. Whilst he was sleeping Dean had watched over him.  
Sam assessed his brothers movements and knew that the older hunter was feeling his bruises this morning but watching him, he saw nothing to worry about. Dean had patched himself up the night before and a hot shower had done wonders.  
“So, Sammy” started Dean  
“Yeah?” answered Sam picking a crumb from the sheet.  
“Jennifer Brokenclaw. She certainly has the hots for you. Nearly lynched me when I didn’t take you to the hospital last night”.  
Sam shrugged. “What can I say, the Winchester charm is obviously rubbing off on me.”  
“It may be an idea to catch up with her to see how they’re getting on with the guy”.  
Sam nodded. “I’ll ring her later, maybe fix up to meet over a coffee. How long are we staying?”  
Dean smiled. “Another day sounds good. I’ve got a hot date to catch up with.”  
“She may be a little narked that you didn’t show up last night”.  
Dean looked at him innocently. “Hey what can I say? I had to look after my sick little brother.”  
Sam laughed. He was in no doubt that his brother could charm the pants off any woman.  
“How about you get dressed and we can walk down to the lake. It really is a beautiful day.”

They walked down to the lake to see a small crowd looking out at the smoking island. It’s trees were still burning and embers flew in the air but the island was far enough away from the shore that they floated harmlessly away. The boys joined the crowd.  
“It doesn’t look like there will be anything left” murmured Sam and Dean nodded.  
“Good riddance” he muttered quietly. He spotted an older man striding down the beach towards him and turned to greet him.  
“Sheriff “ he said and held out his hand to shake. “What happened?”  
The sheriff shook his hand firmly. “Not sure yet.”  
Sam felt himself being appraised. The law mans eyes fell to the bandage on his arm. He then looked at Dean assessing the bruised face. “looks like you two had an accident. Want to tell me about it?”.  
Dean answered. “There are some questions that you don't need an answer to. Let's just say that me and my partner sorted out your rogue animal problem last night.”  
The sheriff was experienced and he nodded slowly looking at the burning island.  
“Those damn tourists are so annoying, never putting out their camp fires correctly” he said and shook both of their hands.” Thanks for your help. Are you moving on today?”  
Dean shook his head. “We'll be heading out tomorrow. In the meantime we'll relax and enjoy the view.”  
The sheriff winked “Just stay out of trouble” he said and moved away. The brothers shared a relieved look. Walking down the shore a little away from the crowds, they watched as the flames blazed. Sam was sorry that the island wildlife enclave was destroyed but he knew that it would recover in time, this time without a rogue spirit of nature in residence.

Dean retrieved his phone from his pocket and dialled up Bonnie, the super sexy waitress from the bar. Sam moved away and dialled up Jennifer. The phone rang three times before she picked it up.  
“Hi Jennifer it’s Sam.”  
“Sam, great to hear from you. How are you? Your brother said you were injured.”  
“I’m ok. I just cut my arm a little. Dean popped in a few stitches last night and it’s ok.”  
“Thank goodness, I’ve been worried about you.”  
“I hear from Dean that you’ve been busy.”  
“That’s true, my father and grandfather have been dealing with your friend. Can we meet up tonight?”  
Sam smiled. “Yes, but I can’t drive with this arm and Deans got plans for tonight. Can you come over to me?”  
Jennifer agreed and they made a date to meet at Mauds Bistro at 7pm.  
He finished the call and looked over to Dean who appeared to be apologising to an upset Bonnie.  
“What can I say Darlin’ Sammy hurt himself and I needed to make sure he was ok. I promise that we can spend all night together and you will be the centre of my attention.”  
Bonnie seemed to be placated and a date was set to meet in the bar. It appeared that both brothers were going to be busy tonight.  
Dean laughed at something Bonnie said “Promises, promises babe” he said finishing the call.  
Sam looked at his smug brother.  
“No woman can resist the Winchester charm Sammy” he cried, clapping his brother on the back.  
“Obviously not” commented Sam.  
They walked for a while, before heading for some lunch. They spent an easy afternoon resting as both were tired after the traumas of the previous night.

Sam stood up to greet Jennifer as she walked into the diner. She had obviously made an effort with her appearance, her hair was neatly styled and make up carefully applied. Sam appreciated her fresh beauty. She wore a plain blue dress which suited her.  
“Hi” he said, leaning forward and kissing her on the cheek.  
She smiled and sat down, indicating for him to sit as well.  
“How is your arm?” she asked and Sam held up the bandaged limb to show her.  
“It’s not too bad. Dean had to put 6 stitches in.”  
“Oh that must be sore.”  
Sam shrugged. “A little but it’s not too bad. It could have been worse.”  
She frowned. “I’m sorry, I should have warned you. I was hoping that I had put you off visiting the island.”  
Sam nodded. “Me and my brother have a habit of ignoring advice, don’t feel bad about it. I would like to hear how you knew about Doryse”.  
“There is a legend of a nature spirit who looked after the local Indian Tribes over many centuries. She guarded over them in return for a sacrifice of a strong heart every 20 years.”  
“A human sacrifice?” Sam asked.  
Jennifer paused as the waitress came to take their order. They quickly scanned the menu and ordered their meal and drinks and were soon left alone again. She answered quietly.  
“Yes a human sacrifice. The heart of a warrior. Each generation, a family was expected to give up a son.”  
Sam nodded slowly.  
“Unfortunately, after a visit from the explorers Lewis and Clark, the Ponca tribe refused to offer up a sacrifice a hundred and fifty years ago. Doryse abandoned her protection and the tribe was decimated, run off the land and exiled. It was only in the 1960s that our tribe was officially recognised again but by that time it was too late and our valley had been flooded for the reservoir.”  
“Tough break” murmured Sam, reaching out to hold her hand.  
“Have you really finished her?” she asked, looking into his eyes earnestly.  
Sam nodded. “Nymphs are tied to a particular tree. We burned her and the tree. She’s not coming back.”  
“Good” declared Jennifer “although I do have one thing that puzzles me.”  
“What’s that?” asked the dark hunter  
“We assume that the man you brought to us, killed the visitor last month.”  
Sam nodded “and maybe a couple of missing hikers about 6 months ago.”  
“Why so many in such a short time?”  
Sam shrugged “She said she got very few visitors. It sounds like she was making up for lost time, building up her power. She wouldn’t have stopped, she would only have got stronger.”  
“Then I’m glad that you two came along.” she declared.  
“How is your guest?” asked Sam. He paused again as the waitress delivered the drinks. Both were on mineral water, Jennifer because she was driving and Sam because he was taking painkillers. Taking a sip he continued. “Have you managed to help him?”  
Jennifer lifted her glass and took a small drink.  
“He’s going to be fine. The elders carried out the ritual last night and he’s sleeping it off. He’ll wake in a couple of days with no memory of the last year.”  
“How are you going to explain that?” asked Sam  
“It’s a simple case of amnesia. He was a long distance swimmer, Otto Shafler from Sioux City. He got into difficulties in the lake and was rescued by a member of the local Ponca tribe. They have been looking after him for the last year as he could not remember who he was and they were unable to trace him until a couple of FBI guys came asking questions.”  
“And he won’t remember any of the killing?”  
“No. He’ll have a blank space in his memory. Once his identity had been established we were able to contact his family who will arrive by the weekend to take him home.  
Sam nodded again. “Sounds like that’s everything wrapped up. Now I suggest we forget about the whole messy business and just enjoy each others company for the rest of the evening.”  
“Sounds good to me Sam” she agreed, bringing her glass up for a toast.  
Dinner was excellent and they both enjoyed an evening of easy conversation and interesting stories.  
At the end of the evening he walked Jennifer to her car.  
“I hope Dean has had such a good an evening as me” he said smiling down at her and caressing her long dark hair.  
“I’ve had a lovely evening Sam. Look me up again when you’re in the area”  
“Is it ok if I call you if I need an expert on Indian Lore?”  
“Of course” she said, leaning into him. They kissed and he held her close and she relaxed into his strong arms,  
“I hope to hear from you soon.” she murmured and then reluctantly moved away  
“Goodbye Sam. Send my love to your brother”  
“I will” he answered and waved as she got into her car and drove away with a final wave.  
Sighing he turned around and headed back to the motel before changing his mind and heading down to the lake shore again. It was not long past 10.30pm and he relished the fresh air. Strolling down to the front he sat on a bench and looked out at the island. The flames were low now and the smell of burnt wood hung heavy in the air. He sat there for a while, enjoying the cool breeze. Occasionally other people walked by but the later it got, the footfall quieted.  
Finally standing up the strolled along the shore to the pier, looking to find the steps up onto the boardwalk. He was stopped by the sound of a girlish giggle and intrigued he searched the darkness under the piles. There was a couple enjoying an intimate moment. Sam recognised the deep voice of his brother and he smiled to himself. Yes, Dean appeared to be having a lovely time too.  
Shaking his head at the sounds of passion he walked up the stairs giving them their privacy and headed back to the motel. 

He opened the door and swiftly changed into his sleeping gear. He was tired and his arm hurt but the taste of Jennifer was still on his lips and he fell asleep with a soft smile on his face knowing that his dreams would be good ones that night.


End file.
